The Old Ones
by Syluk
Summary: After fleeing the cruel pack to escape the gritty fate, an omega wolf Castiel finds himself in the middle of a hostile forest, separated from his older brothers, twin alphas Michael and Lucifer. The unexpected help comes in the form of two unlikely savors straight out of the old myth books, absolutely terrifying and believed to be extinct species of wolves—dire wolves. (A/B/O AU)
1. Chapter 1

I really enjoy Supernatural stories in A/B/O universe, for whatever reason, and I've read a lot of stories, primarily Alpha Dean/Omega Castiel. That said, there are a lot of things I don't like, lots of pet peeves that I can ignore if the storyline is engaging enough. Which is not as often as I'd like.

But, as a writer myself, I can just indulge myself by writing the A/B/O story of my own!

Few notes of what you can expect from MY version of A/B/O world and this story in general:  
—Female alphas can impregnate, but can't bear children. Male omegas can get pregnant, but can't impregnate. Betas function according to their primary gender. Both genders are known at birth.  
—Alphas or omegas are not slaves to their instincts. There is no such thing as ruts for alphas, and omegas can function normally while in their heats. They don't go delirious with lust or lose ability to take care of their basic needs (the biggest pet peeve of mine. Just urgh.), and alphas don't suddenly become brain dead when they smell omega in heat. Of course, people are different, everyone acts and reacts differently.  
—No smut scenes. I'm not a prude, but that's just not my thing.  
—Lots of platonic, familial touching/kissing (human form) and cuddling/licking (wolf form).  
—Nudity is the norm. No one bats an eye at the naked person, be it male or female.  
—Wolves can communicate telepathically while in their beast form. Cheezy, but meh.  
—The world of this story is this weird cross between modern and medieval. I couldn't quite decide between the two, so… Just, roll with me here, please :)

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English is not my first language and this was not proofread by Betareader. If you can't stand any mistakes, please, don't read my story.

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**The Old Ones**

**Chapter 1**

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Castiel crossed his legs as he sat down on the wooden floor. Once he put a basket full of freshly cut herbs, wild ones but also some he managed to cultivate himself, next to him, he reached for a mortar and an empty bowl from one of the lower shelves before starting his work.

An assortment of various containers lined the shelves and filled all the available space around and in between. Different herb grew in each of the pot, the bucket, or even the bigger mug Castiel's brothers smuggled to him for this exact purpose. The ambient scent of distinct herbs soothed the young omega in a way his brothers never could understand, calling this place his personal smelly corner. The mere thought of it caused Castiel to snort in indignation. If Michael or Lucifer was around right now, he would have blown a raspberry at them.

His little herb garden was tucked in the corner of the tall concrete wall that surrounded their tiny backyard. For protection, the Lead Alpha informed when the workers started building it. To keep them prisoners, Chuck murmured to his children as they watched the intimidating wall blocking the view of the forest they all loved so much.

The omega stared at the mix in the bowl, then twisted around without standing and plucked a few tiny green leaves of thyme, deciding to add them as an afterthought.

The Lead Alpha of their pack didn't approve of Castiel's wish to learn healing herbs, told him it was beneath the offspring of hers to take interest in such an inferior specialty and he should better educate himself of how to be a proper omega for his future alpha mate.

Castiel just turned twenty a few weeks ago and he was still happily an unmated omega. He knew this wouldn't last long, but spending every day without the impending news of being gifted to some unknown alpha to be raped and filled with pups was one more day he could spend with his father, his brothers, and his herb garden.

Luckily, the Lead Alpha never directly forbade Castiel's dabble into the healing art either. Even if she did, he would have no choice but to learn in secret. Their omega father Chuck had bad health and fell ill easily, but was declined any kind of treatment by the Lead Alpha once the healers determined him barren soon after Castiel's birth.

Only four of them knew the real reason of why it happened and none of the boys held any contempt or spite for their father's decision.

Engrossed in his work and thoroughly lost in his thoughts, Castiel missed the telltale sound of approaching footsteps. A hand landed on the omega's head and he instinctively stiffened. Gentle fingers sifted through his black hair in a familiar comforting gesture and Castiel soon relaxed, closed his eyes, and leaned into the touch.

"I missed you," Castiel said quietly, basking in the scent of his older brother, calm and soothing, unusually serene for an alpha, that settled around his shoulders like a warm blanket. Not even a slight pungent tinge of blood that layered it could hinder the sudden sense of safety.

"And I missed you." Lucifer's voice was equally soft and caring as his presence. "How's Father?"

The omega furrowed his brow, absent-mindedly rubbing the leaf of mint between his fingers.

Lucifer drew conclusions from his prolonged silence. He sighed and retrieved his hand to scrub tiredly at his face. Castiel finally looked up after registering a wince at the corner of his eye.

His brother's face was marred with cuts and bruises, some already fading and some still forming. Castiel's stomach dropped, dragged down by the weight of helplessness at the thought of how many more injuries Lucifer hid under his clothes. "I'm sorry," an apology slipped through his lips, unasked, most likely undesired, but needed to calm the demons tearing his mind apart.

"Oh, no, no, little brother," Lucifer hurriedly said as he crouched down and cupped the omega's face with his calloused hands. "It's not your fault. You know that, right?" His thumbs ghosted across his cheeks, brushing the tears that Castiel never noticed appearing. "You're amazing, Castiel. You're so strong and kind, and we'd be lost without you. Father's illness, my constant injuries, and even Michael's oh-so-secret insomnia—your herb mixes helps us all." A tender smile broke on the alpha's face. "You should be proud of yourself. I know that the three of us definitely are."

Castiel ducked his head, a bit of pink dusting his cheeks. He sniffled, blinking back the traitorous tears, then took a deep breath to compose himself. "Thanks, Lucifer."

"Always, Kitten."

The omega huffed, shooting his brother an indignant glare for the silly nickname the later seemed unable to forget from when they were small pups. Sure, when he had seen that damn frog he leaped into the air with a screech which might have sounded a bit like a strangled mewl of a terrified cat. Might have! But to his defense—the frog was extremely big and ugly and tried to sneak up on him, dammit.

"A brother of a cat is also a cat."

Lucifer's smile tilted, turning into a little playful quirk of his lips. "Oh, I love little sassy omegas."

"Ew, gross!" Castiel cried out in disgust, shoving the alpha away. But an involuntary twitch of his lips completely trashed the image of revolt he attempted to maintain.

A laugh tumbled out of Lucifer and he mussed the omega's hair up in a quick, affectionate ruffle.

Castiel let his smile bloom as he watched his brother laugh, carefree and untroubled at the moment, his light blue eyes sparkling. Genuine happiness had been in very short supply lately. Not that they had much of it as they were growing up, but right after Castiel's 20th birthday something was brewing.

Something bad.

The Lead Alpha even visited their household a few times after that day, more than she ever did during the last twenty years. She looked at the young omega with some kind of gleeful satisfaction which made his skin crawl.

The palpable tension made the four of them jittery. Michael and Lucifer snapped at each other more than usual too. The last time they had an argument couple of weeks ago it escalated into a bloody fight and, in a fit of blind panic, Castiel jumped in between them. Stupid and reckless, his father scolded him endlessly later, but, fortunately, he also taught his alpha sons well. Two wolves halted, however brief, before omegas seized the opportunity to push them through the opposite doors.

Michael was sent to another raid the next day while Lucifer ended up apprehended and sent to receive his punishment for whatever reason. The High Council of the Novak pack seemed to drop any pretenses of finding an adequate excuse to punish him these days.

Castiel stared at the dark circular bruise and scratches around Lucifer's neck, undoubtedly left by the iron dog collar, a sudden protective fury filling his veins like liquid fire. He had seen it once, the horrible image searing into the back of his eyelids for the rest of his life. The image of his brother, a free spirit, kind and compassionate by nature, shackled, humiliated, beaten day after day without a chance to defend—forced to submit by the most brutal ways possible.

Lucifer's mirth died out the moment he noticed the omega's gaze on his neck. His eyes dulled, then darkened before he turned his head away. Hurried to tug his shirt collar up.

But Castiel had already seen the particular emotion shine through his carefully built façade.

Shame.

Ashamed for what this cruel pack did to him, ashamed that they broke his body over and over again in a vain attempt to leash his free will.

To catch a glimpse of that expression was worse than seeing his brother chained down like he was nothing but a lowly dog, Castiel decided with a distinct pang of sorrow burning up his insides. It meant that all the abuse and torture—punishment, as they called it—made a dent in Lucifer's resolve not to yield.

Castiel reached to take his brother's face in between his warm palms, a soothing scent of herbs still lingering on his fingertips. Once the alpha answered his mute plea to look at him again, he placed a tender kiss on his forehead. "I missed you," he whispered, quiet but firm, _accepting_.

Lucifer's features relaxed, eyes softened, and mouth curled into his usual fond smile. After a minute of comfortable silence, he pulled Castiel's hands into his own. "They let me out two days earlier," he said, eyebrows knitting together. "Zachariah, that old, fat piece of shit, came gloating about making the history and how I should be grateful to be allowed to witness the beginning of the Novak's great era."

The omega gawked with wide eyes. What kind of gibberish that pompous madman was spewing this time? Preaching of the superiority of their pack when in reality they were one of the worst types? Whatever the Lead Alpha and her smarmy handymen were planning, it spelled bad fortune. He wanted no part of it.

"Has Michael said anything?"

Castiel shook his head. "Haven't seen him," he informed, concern coiling around his heart like tree roots around the stone. "He's yet to return from the last raid the High Council sent him to."

"But the raiding party came back four days ago."

The omega nodded, a look of helplessness taking over.

Lucifer pressed his lips into a tight line and muttered, "I have a bad feeling about this…" under his breath. Then he sighed, meticulously wiped off all cues of his inner misgivings and replaced them with a smile. "Let's go inside, Kitten," the alpha coaxed, standing up and helping Castiel up too. "I'd love to have some of your homemade tea and I'm sure Father would too."

The omega didn't argue, letting himself to be guided across the backyard and towards the house.

Lucifer abruptly stopped the moment he stepped through the previously open door to the house and Castiel who was following close behind walked straight into him. He groaned, rubbing his nose and glaring daggers at the back of his brother's blond head.

Lucifer's tightly spoken, "Michael," startled the omega. He peeked around the broad form of the alpha and his eyes were drawn by the equally broad form of his oldest brother.

Michael was sitting at the table, across from their farther, head bowed with Chuck squeezing his hands in what looked like support and comfort. The moment he heard his name, the alpha instantly rose to his feet, eyes fixed solely on his twin. His demeanor screamed _wrong_, setting every instinct Castiel had on edge, but to his absolute frustration, he couldn't tell what exactly seemed amiss.

"Lucifer." The name came as a rush of air from the very depths of Michael's lungs. Like he had been holding his breath for so long and now reveled in relief to finally be able to let it out. "I'm glad to see you doing well."

The other alpha scoffed. "You're calling this 'doing well', Michael?" His voice was sharp and biting, challenging, as he motioned up and down his body. Injuries unseen, but not unknown.

Michael's shoulders drooped. He looked tired. He _was_ tired. Face ashen, dark circles under his eyes. Defeated, Castiel realized with sudden alarm. His hand instinctively latched onto Lucifer's forearm, gripping it like a lifeline to ground himself and at the same time to hold the alpha in place.

Michael always was the unshakable one, a solid rock in the storm, a foundation that supported their little family unit as long as Castiel could remember. It was the first time he had seen his oldest brother like that and his already-there anxiety spiked to new heights.

This was bad. So, so bad.

"I don't want to fight, brother," Michael said with a sigh. He sounded resigned to the inevitable conflict that he knew was coming.

And if that didn't have taken all the wind out of Lucifer's sails, Chuck's faint, "Please, Lucifer," definitely did. "Alright, brother," he agreed placidly, giving Michael once over, a worried crease in his brow, probably noticing the same things now as the omegas did.

"Thank you." Then Michael turned to Castiel, blue eyes—the same color as his twin's, but a few shades lighter than Castiel's—filling with warmth and a gentle smile spreading across his face. Like he couldn't help it. Like his youngest brother was more important than the rest of the world. The alpha murmured an affectionate, "Castiel," and pulled the omega into his arms.

But all Castiel could think of how there was a strong stench of blood and mildew clinging to his brother's clothes and skin, how Michael held him a bit more firmly, a bit more wistfully, a bit more _desperately_ than usual. He wiggled in the embrace, just enough that he could peer up at his brother's terrifically haggard face. "What's going on?"

The alpha kept smiling, sadder than it was a second ago.

Chills ran down Castiel's spine.

"Michael, what—what did you _do_?"

Lucifer's breathless question brought a frown on the omega's face. His gaze slid over Michael as he turned his head towards their sibling, a question of his own on the tip of his tongue—

—and then his head snapped back into its previous position so fast that a tiny part of Castiel's mind wondered how it didn't spin right off his neck.

There was a bruise around Michael's neck, a dark strip with perfectly smooth edges, skin welted and scratched all over.

A bruise he had already seen multiple times on Lucifer.

When Castiel's brain finally comprehended what his eyes registered and the implications of it, a whine of distress worked its way up his throat.

Michael pressed him closer, fingers brushing soothingly through his hair. "Shh, it's alright, Puppy, it's alright," he whispered into Castiel's ear. "Everything's gonna be alright."

The omega ignored the acrid scents and focused on Michael's natural one; deeper, heavier than his twin's, but bringing sense of home and safety all the same. "I missed you," he mumbled into his chest, palms fisting around the handful of his brother's shirt, holding him for dear life.

The alpha kissed the top of his head. "I missed you too."

"Dammit, Michael!" Lucifer shouted suddenly, throwing his arms up. He started pacing, _prowling_ back and forth, boiling with anger, absolutely livid, but all that overwhelming frenzy wasn't directed at them, any of them. Not even at Michael. "What did you—Why would she—" He breathed deeply to calm his fury, but seemed to just work himself up even further. So Lucifer stopped and fixed his twin with a no-nonsense glare. "Why would that bitch send _you_ for punishment? Aren't you the good little soldier of hers?"

When Michael's jaw tightened, the omega slipped from his arms with graceful ease and shuffled closer to their father who welcomed him with open arms, still not saying a word.

Castiel grew up side by side with two older brothers and, while he could stand his ground and knew they would never hurt him, not intentionally, the volatile nature of their secondary gender was not something to be taken lightly. He absolutely refused to let his brothers' gradually festering guilt to grow even stronger because of his stupid pride.

Castiel's absence went unnoticed, Michael too busy with glaring at his twin. This topic was the main reason behind their constant arguments. "Do you think I had obeyed their every whim because I wanted to?" he asked, irritation slowing his words to a dangerous pace.

Lucifer spread his arms to the side as if saying 'hit me with it'. "Didn't you?"

A snarl twisted Michael's lips second before he shoved his twin against the wall, the other alpha meeting him with aggressively bared teeth. "How dare you!" he roared into his face. "I gave everything to keep you safe! All of you! Your little rebellious escapades—" He gritted his teeth and forcefully tore himself from Lucifer, briskly walking away to the other side of the kitchen. He scrubbed his face with both hands before running them through his hair. Then leaned heavily against the cupboard, stiff back turned to the room. His unprotected back; an obvious sign of how much he trusted people in the room. "Why do you think you're still alive, Lucifer?" A quiet question, a tired one. "I obeyed their orders so that I had some ground to plead the Alpha not to execute you."

The silence that followed his confession was deafening.

Lucifer shifted, uncomfortable. "…I didn't ask you to."

Michael chuckled, the sound bitter and so, so broken. "No, you didn't," he replied, turning around to look straight into the other alpha's eyes. "But you're my brother, my family, my _pack_."

Lucifer dropped his gaze to the floor. "And you're mine," he grumbled, almost too low to hear it.

The tension in the small space ebbed away and dispersed completely when Michael broke into an amused grin. That was as good apology as he would ever get from this stubborn wolf.

"But," Castiel started, dread pooling in his gut, "why were you punished then? Did you fail the raid?"

"No. The raid was… a success. Unfortunately," Michael answered, gripping the edge of the cupboard. "The Lead Alpha called me in as soon as I came back four days ago. She gave me a new order and I—I refused."

Castiel's eyes widened. "What? Why?"

Michael's already tense shoulders went completely rigid. He gazed at his omega brother and there were so many emotions flashing through his light blue eyes. Apprehension. Sadness. Uncertainty.

Fear.

And Guilt.

So much guilt, Castiel could drown in it.

"The Lead Alp—" Michael cut himself off with a sneer, his knuckles whitening with how hard he clutched the furniture. After a moment, he spat out, "That _woman_," as it disgusted him just to mention her, "asked… no, _ordered_ me to—to breed you, Castiel."


	2. Chapter 2

English is not my first language and this was not proofread by Betareader. If you can't stand any mistakes, please, don't read my story.

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**The Old Ones**

**Chapter 2**

* * *

"The Lead Alp—" Michael cut himself off with a sneer, his knuckles whitening with how hard he clutched the furniture. After a moment, he spat out, "That _woman_," as it disgusted him just to mention her, "asked… no, _ordered_ me to—to breed you, Castiel."

For a moment, nobody said a word. The silence lingered in the air, thick and heavy, a poisonous cloud that could choke the life from them at any moment.

Castiel stared at Michael in horror, thoughts scattered like a flock of spooked birds. Any attempt to respond ended up in failure. He couldn't will his lips to move.

The silence stretched thinner and thinner until it finally shattered when Lucifer let out a low rumbling growl. Indiscernible wisps of red pervaded the blue of his irises around his pupils. "Did you agree?" he asked, his voice sharp and deadly.

Michael crossed his arms and glared at his twin, his lips curling up ever so slightly. "I've already told you that I refused the order," he seethed with barely contained rage. "They dragged me into the punishment chamber and questioned me over and over again if I was ready to do my duty—accept this order—and every time I said no. No matter what kind of threats they threw at me, I said no! So, lay off me, Lucifer!"

Lucifer's aggressive stance didn't loosen up as he continued to growl. "They wouldn't have let you out if you haven't agreed on it."

"That's…" Michael turned his head away, unable to maintain the staring battle. Or glance at his youngest brother. "Today the Alpha came and delivered an ultimatum. Either I do this of my own volition or they are going to drug me and lock me in the room with Castiel in heat. Metatron suggested I should be disciplined for my disobedience by executing _you_, Lucifer." He paused, his gaze shifting back on Lucifer, daring him to say anything. "He always wanted to take Castiel and Father into his harem. That bastard is scared shitless of you, so he steered clear of our family until now, regardless of how much he wished to see your head on a spike or our omegas in his lair. With Castiel off-limits and us both out of the picture, what do you think would have happened to Father?"

Lucifer grimaced, obviously knowing a grim answer to that. He stayed silent though.

"Of course, I said _yes_ after that!" Michael snapped. "In order to get out of there, return home, and figure out what to do! If you think that I would—!" He suddenly deflated, his shoulders sagged, and he couldn't hide the hurt expression from appearing. "I would never do that to our little brother…"

The other alpha furrowed his brow. "The bitch granted permission to execute me then?"

"Not openly, no, but she didn't forbid it either." Michael's face washed blank with confusion. "How are you here anyway?"

"Zachariah let me out earlier to witness the beginning of the Novak's great era!" Lucifer exclaimed in fake dramatics before a low snarl slipped free. "That sly shithead," he muttered, "I guess he hates Metatron more than me."

The corner of Michael's lips twitched up. "Those two can't even see eye to eye on what to have for lunch. Naturally, the old Zachariah would use this chance to annoy Metatron."

"But, why?" Castiel asked, his voice brittle and shaky, alarmingly opposite of his usual deep baritone. "We're blood brothers."

The slivers of mirth died a quick death the moment that question hit the air, the weight of their hopeless situation coming back tenfold.

"I don't know what she's planning," Michael stated with a helpless shrug, "but I doubt she cares about such things."

"I think it's the whole point. You two being blood brothers."

Three siblings turned to look at their father. Chuck was a very softly spoken omega, though he rarely spoke at all. Even more so than was required of every omega in the Novak Pack.

The oldest was the one to voice the question burning on the tips of their tongues. "What do you mean?"

"I suspected it for a long time," Chuck murmured, expression sorrowful. "I'm so sorry, pups. I never wanted this for any of you." He peered at each of them as he apologized and in the same glance conveyed all the regret for his inability to give them the lives they deserved. "That's why I drank the poison. So no more of my children would be in danger because of her obsession."

Castiel put his hand on top of his father's that rested on his forearm. "Dad, what—what are you talking about?"

"Novak line is known for its great ancestry. Legend has it that the first few of Lead Alphas were dire wolves. But you all know that," Chuck sighed. "Well, what you don't know is that my grandmother's original pack, the Shurleys, had similar stories passed down from generation to generation."

Three brothers shared a glance, but none of them understood what their father tried to convey.

"The Novak High Council had been conducting the selective pairing between alphas and omegas for at least three generations now. And they favor the inbreeding quite heavily."

"Wait," Michael interrupted. A frown marred his face like he realized something but couldn't yet fully comprehend it. "Are you saying they're trying to reproduce dire wolves?"

"I believe so, yes."

Once again the deathly silence settled upon the kitchen, three pairs of wide blue eyes staring at the oldest omega.

"If myths are true, dire wolves were bigger, stronger, and much more bloodthirsty. Excellent fighters, each capable of easily battling against a dozen of other species wolves. Savage monsters." Chuck paused, staring blankly at the surrounding wall through the window. "Imagine what Novak Pack could do if they possessed a single dire wolf in their ranks. Or more. No one would be safe from them."

"That's insane!" Lucifer yelled as he started pacing back and forth again. "Dire wolves have gone extinct several centuries ago! If they existed at all!"

"Even if our ancestors truly were dire wolves, I doubt you could find a drop of their blood in us now. It has been that long time ago," Michael muttered. "It simply doesn't work like that."

Chuck shook his head, a small, wry smile tugging at his lips. "Obsession doesn't feed on healthy logic, son."

"Why us, Dad?" Castiel asked. "Why me and Michael?"

"Because of your fur color, pup," the old omega replied. "The stories say that Novak ancestors were white dire wolves, so they always pair the lightest furred wolves together to get the most desired color." His voice grew softer as he talked until, "And eventually they got you two," was barely audible.

"I guess I'm just the unexpected extreme side effect of their inbreeding program," Lucifer scoffed, the mask of indifference firmly in place. "Of course. Always the freak."

"Lucifer…" Chuck called out gently, quickly walking towards the alpha. He started to rub his son's arm up and down, his natural omega presence soothing and comforting, and soon Lucifer's tense frame relaxed under his touch. "Don't talk about yourself like that. You're a good wolf, a good alpha, regardless of your fur color. I'm proud of you, Lucifer." He turned to his other two sons as he uttered the next words, "All of you. The three of you grew up as better persons than anyone in this pack."

Unexpectedly, Lucifer smirked. "Considering awfully low standards, it wasn't really that hard to do."

"Don't be such a smartass with Father, Lucifer," Michael chided as he usually did.

The other alpha rolled his eyes, but his features were unmistakably etched with fondness. "Bite me!"

While the two of them bickered, Castiel collected his thoughts and hardened his resolve. His father's words of how proud he was shook him out of that numbness and passiveness that engulfed him during this conversation.

He was not about to accept a broodmare's role in this sick breeding program.

He was not about to allow them to completely break his oldest brother by forcing him into rape.

He was not about to let his other brother be killed just because of his fur color.

He was not about to stand by and do nothing while his beloved father was dragged into that creep's bed.

This pack already took too much from him. He was not about to roll over and let them destroy what he still had of his life and his family.

Only over his dead body. Even then, he would rise as a vengeful spirit and haunt their tormentors forever.

"We have to run."

The other three wolves blinked at the youngest after his sudden declaration, clearly caught off guard by the hard edge of his voice.

"And where we are supposed to go, Kitten?"

Castiel rounded on Lucifer with his teeth bared and his chest rumbling. "_Anywhere_ but here!"

Normally, the Novak alphas had zero tolerance for such display from what they considered inferior wolves, be it betas, omegas, or fellow alphas unfortunate enough to occupy a lower position in the hierarchy.

No one could show even the bare minimum of their teeth directly at the Lead Alpha.

It spoke volumes of the upbringing of their family unit's alphas when neither of them as much as twitched at the open aggression from the omega.

"Central Lands." Michael's thoughtful comment drew everyone's attention. Once he noticed them listening, he specified, "We should go to Central Lands, towards the Ancestral Forest."

Lucifer frowned. "Isn't that the place where all the ferals end up eventually?"

"Yes, but…" the other alpha trailed off, a flash of uncertainty flickering through his eyes. "I've heard rumors that the High Council's expansion plans into the Central Lands hit a wall."

"Oh, that," Lucifer drawled, a malicious grin spreading across his face at that piece of gossip. "Well. _I've_ heard that it's because a target pack was vicious enough to resist a full-on assault."

Castiel worried his lip. "Wouldn't those wolves pose a threat to us too?"

"Certainly," Michael agreed. "But if there's a chance to successfully escape, that's the place to go."

They all startled the moment a sound of multiple footsteps outside reached their ears.

Lucifer quickly ducked to the sitting room and peeked through the window. "It's the bitch and her entourage," he hissed sharply, keeping his tone low to not alert the wolves approaching their front door. "We have to leave. Now!"

Castiel grabbed his father's arm. "Come on, Dad," he urged, tugging him towards the back exit. "We can use the shelves in my herb garden to climb the w—"

"No," Chuck stopped and freed his limb out of the younger omega's grasp. "I'm not going. I will only slow you all down."

There was a knock on the front door. Someone said something, but no one inside was listening to them.

"What? No, Father, we can—Michael and I can help you out." Lucifer's gaze was pleading. "Please, Dad."

Chuck reached to cup the alpha's face with his hands, pulled him closer and kissed his forehead. "Remember what I said about you, Lucifer." Then he turned to his eldest and repeated the action. "Nothing was your fault, Michael."

The knocking turned into a furious hammering.

Chuck looked at Castiel, smiled and gently brushed the tears of his youngest son's cheeks. "You deserve so much more than I could give you, Castiel."

"Dad—"

"Look after your brothers, pup. You're an omega, the heart of this family."

A fleeting chuckle tumbled out of Castiel's mouth as his father's lips touched his forehead. The next moment, he got shoved towards the exit.

"Now, go!" Chuck screamed as the front door flew off its hinges. "Find a good pack with an alpha you can trust and never look back!"

"Thanks, Dad," Michael whispered, forcing himself to turn away from his father. He snatched Castiel's hand and pulled him through the door right after Lucifer.

"Stop them!"

Three brothers sprinted across the yard. Lucifer jumped the shelves first, toppling the pots and mugs with plants on the ground. He nimbly reached the top of the wall and hauled himself up, then swiveled around just in time to catch Castiel before he could crash down when the upper shelf gave way under the omega's weight.

"Stop! You can't run from me!" the woman's shout was like a crack of a whip, echoing deep into their beings and soaking into their bones. "That's an order from your Alpha!"

They looked up just in time to see Chuck, their amazing omega father, bare his teeth at the Lead Alpha in her pristine suit, perfect hair, and face, so cold and devoid of emotions that it reminded the marble statue. "You may have sired them," Chuck growled. "but they don't belong to you, Naomi."

Calling the Lead Alpha by her name was as much taboo as growling at her.

Naomi's lips curled into a disgusted sneer, fangs flashing. Her hands shot forward and clutched the omega's head, claws digging into his skin and drawing blood. And then she twisted it.

Castiel's eyes widened. "No! Dad!" he screamed, jerking forward to reach for his father, to go back, to do _something_, Lucifer too shocked himself to stop the omega in time—

Michael jumped the shelves at that moment, the wood splintering and shattering under his feet. He all but slammed into his two brothers who were still perched on top of the wall, sending all three of them down on the other side.

Castiel's back hit the ground with a surprising force and he wheezed. Next instant, someone yanked him to his feet in one strong motion.

"We have to go!" Michael actually shook him by his shoulders, his fingers pressing into his skin almost painfully. "Little brother, we have to go. That's what Dad wanted us to do."

The omega wasn't sure if he replied, or nodded. He blindly fumbled with buttons of his shirt, until one of his brothers forcefully tore it open and pulled it off. His pants went next and once he was fully naked, Castiel shifted.

White and black wolves were already impatiently fidgeting nearby when he finally felt the soil under his four paws. And then they were nudging and pushing him to run, to sprint, to flee.

He could hear angry snarls and barks behind, threats and orders flowing into his mind, howls giving orders.

_Catch them!_

_Bring the white ones to the Lead Alpha!_

_Kill the black mutt!_

He focused only on moving his legs, avoiding collisions with trees, and listening to two heavy breathings on either side of him.

As long as he had his brothers, Castiel would be alright. They would escape, they would find a good pack lead by an alpha that they could trust, and they would never look back.

Castiel felt a rush of energy filling him to the brim and he sped up, Michael and Lucifer easily matching his gain in momentum.

That was what his father wanted, so that was what they would do.

Without doubt.

* * *

Naomi let the corpse of the omega crumple to the ground, but kept glaring at it with a thunderous scowl.

Annoying interference.

She scoffed, taking a sharp turn away. She plucked a flawlessly white handkerchief from one of her assistants without looking at the other alpha. "Find them! And bring them back!" Naomi yelled as she meticulously cleaned her hands. Her voice struck like a lightning, causing the other wolves to flinch. "Don't hurt the omega, we can't afford any impairment in case it would hinder his future pregnancies. Make sure that the alpha's reproductive system is not damaged too."

"What about the black mutt?" Metatron inquired, a sly grin threatening to break free.

"He is of no importance." The Lead Alpha inspected her hands for any specks of dirt and threw the handkerchief to the general direction of the assistant who gave it to her. "Kill him."

Metatron's expression twisted into something wicked, his head bowed. "Alpha is wise as always. Thank you."

At the side, out of the Lead Alpha's sight, Zachariah rolled his eyes, unamused by his old rival's show of subservience.

"Just bring the white ones to me!" Naomi barked, listening impassively as several wolves howled her orders to those who were already in pursuit. She scanned the backyard for the last time and her gaze lingered briefly on the destroyed herb garden. With a grimace of repulsion, she spun on her heel. "Clean this mess!" With the last command, she walked back into the house as her loyal pack members chorused after her dutifully, "Yes, Alpha!"

* * *

Three brothers stopped only when the sun hid completely behind the horizon and the stars started to shine brightly in the dark sky.

Their furs were still slightly wet from when they crossed the river for the second time. None of their pursuers would think that the runaways went back instead of going forward, backtracking into the inner area of Novak territory and not rushing to leave it as quickly as possible.

Castiel sat down inside the hollow husk of the fallen giant tree. He was exhausted—they all were—but he didn't want to sleep. He wanted to scream, to howl as loud as possible in a desperate call of Father Wolf to come and guide Chuck's soul into the Eternal Hunting Grounds.

But any sound would alert their enemies, so he couldn't. He couldn't help his father's soul reach a peaceful resting place.

The omega more felt than saw Michael coming to sit right in front of him, rubbing the side of Castiel's head with his own, offering his sincere support. "_One day, when we're safe,_" he murmured, a promise ringing strongly in his soothing mind voice, "_we'll bid Dad's spirit farewell as it is fitting._"

Castiel leaned his forehead against his brother's broad chest, hungry for the warmth and safety his presence brought forth. Lucifer snuggled to the omega's side and put his head around his neck.

And then the realization hit Castiel with a force of a falling star. He wasn't the only one in need of comfort, not the only one hurting, not the only one who lost his father today. Chuck asked him to look after his brothers, so that was he would do.

Howling to the sky and calling Father Wolf to step down was out of the question, but they still could find solace in quiet prayer.

"_Oh, Amarok, our Great Forefather,  
Whose breath gave life to all the wolves,  
Whose voice I hear in the wind and the earth,  
Whose lead I'll follow once my life will fade,  
Hear us._"

"_Hear us,_" Michael and Lucifer whispered in unison.

"_Bless the soul of your son with your guidance,  
Welcome his company at your side,  
His heart,  
His mind,  
His inner spirit,  
Show him the way to the Eternal Hunting Grounds  
And allow him to run in freedom,  
Freedom before him,  
Freedom behind him,  
Freedom above and below him."_

As the last word of the prayer echoed inside their minds, the world around was eerily silent and felt perversely cold.

"…_Please._"


	3. Chapter 3

English is not my first language and this was not proofread by Betareader. If you can't stand any mistakes, please, don't read my story.

* * *

WARNING: Rape attempt near the ending. Blood and violence too but it will be consistent throughout the entire story—they are wolves after all.

* * *

**The Old Ones**

**Chapter 3**

* * *

No one discovered the brothers throughout the night and the luck proceeded to smile upon them in the next morning. Three runaways crossed the river that marked the boundaries of the Novak Pack's inner area again and soon stumbled on the half-eaten carcass of the deer.

Novaks weren't hunters. They grew their own livestock and crop with betas, low standing alphas, and some omegas doing all arduous manual labor.

This kind of find indicated the presence of other predators in the vicinity. Like bears.

Bears were rare visitors in the pack's grounds. The subjugation of such beasts often cost at least a couple of lives, so they were usually left alone to wander around if they didn't threaten the safety of the community.

Fortunately, it wasn't a fresh kill, but at least several days old, so whatever hunted the deer had already moved away. Three brothers rolled in the remains, rubbing that distinct stench of decay into their fur to hide their own scents, and then continued onwards.

Being behind the search line turned out to be a blessing too. They started tailing one group of their pursuers, carefully maintaining a safe distance and keeping out of sight of occasional runners that delivered news and orders. The pack avoided howling as to not alert the fugitives. Just a basic protocol.

Two days later, brothers followed the same group out of the Novak territory. After bidding time for a few hours, a random spooked stag that literally blindsided one of the wolves in its mindless panic gave them a perfect opportunity to skirt around and flee.

They ran as fast as their legs could carry and as far as their overworked muscles allowed. Even then, they didn't dare to rest for long. When the sky filled with blended tones, heralding the beginning of the new day, Michael nosed his younger brothers awake. Pulling their exhausted bodies to their aching feet, three runaways resumed the journey to the Central Lands.

Michael was often present in the war room and he made an effort to memorize the map of nearby lands a long time ago. First, he explained, they were going to use the narrow slice of the neutral zone, tucked in between two neighboring pack territories, then continue along the borders of the Roman Pack. Once the path intersected with the Serpent River, they just had to follow it downstream all the way till the Ancestral Forest.

Easier said than done.

Food was scarce. Mostly edible roots, plants, and mushrooms Castiel foraged. The omega could hold his own in a fight against another wolf, but he was absolutely useless when it came to hunting.

Michael and Lucifer faired a bit better in that regard. As alphas, they were trained in stealth. Of course, it was all tailored for stalking and ambushing other wolves, not the prey that could seemingly vanish from right under their noses or flung them into the tree with one well-placed kick.

To the utter relief of two worrywarts, Lucifer didn't end up with broken ribs after that disastrous hunting incident. His pride took a big hit and he added another bruise to his already rich collection, but otherwise the black-furred wolf was fine.

They still fussed about him until Lucifer's patience snapped at the end of the second day and he told them to shove it. Michael instantly jumped on the chance to scold his twin, which escalated into fierce bickering and, eventually, a playful scuffle, after Lucifer pulled on Michael's tail.

Castiel burst out laughing at the sight of his brothers rolling around. He couldn't even remember the last time he had felt this happy. This hopeful.

This free.

Until he was pulled into the wrestling game and pinned to the ground by two smug alphas.

Later brothers successfully hunted down a small doe which only raised their already high spirits.

That night, with their bellies pleasantly full and hope still soaring through their veins, all three huddled together and let the conversation veer toward expectations each had for their possible future pack and inevitably the Lead Alpha.

"_His pack would show him respect because they genuinely feel it, not because they're afraid of him. He would earn trust through his actions, not expect it to be given," _Castiel listed out, bursting with childish-like excitement. _"He must be strong but kind, strict but forgiving, and must care about the members of his pack equally. And be protective! Fiercely protective of everyone, regardless of their gender. Everyone would feel safe being by his side. And he should love pups and have only one mate, not a harem full of omegas. He'd be gentle and attentive towards his mate, courting and wooing properly, not using his omega only to mount and reproduce."_

Lucifer's lips twitched up. _"Are you sure you just described the Lead Alpha, Castiel? Or the alpha of your dreams?"_

The omega blinked, rewound his spontaneous gushing out—for it couldn't be called anything else—then promptly ducked his head and hid his muzzle behind front paws. If he was in his human form right now, he was sure his ears would have already melted off from sheer embarrassment. _"S-Shut up!"_ it came out as indignant squeak rather than an angry demand it was supposed to be. _"Can't omega dream a bit?" _he added in a shy mutter under his breath.

Michael nuzzled into his youngest brother, chest rumbling together with the sound of his chuckle. _"I for one am rooting for you to find such a loving alpha, Castiel."_

The omega's chest swelled with the warmth of his brother's support. _"…Thanks, Michael."_

Lucifer's cackle still echoed in their heads. _"Our little Kitten all grown up now!"_ he teased good-heartedly. _"Having his sight on the prize at the very top!"_

Castiel blew a raspberry at the alpha, then burrowed his nose into Michael's chest again and whined, _"Lucifer's an assbutt."_

"_Yes, he is,"_ the oldest agreed, his mind voice tilted with amusement.

"_Hey!"_

Both white wolves looked at the black one, clearly unimpressed.

"_Two against one, so not fair,"_ Lucifer grumbled before his expression mellowed down and he crawled closer to the omega. _"I'm just saying…"_ He laid his head down on the omega's front legs and batted his eyelashes. _"That nothing short of the Lead Alpha is worthy of our awesome little omega."_

Castiel narrowed his eyes at his brother who looked as innocent as one could get. _"You're still an assbutt,"_ he said, nipping at Lucifer's left ear.

"_Ouch!"_ The alpha jerked back and rubbed his abused ear into his paw. _"Fine, fine,"_ he let out a slightly disgruntled huff. _"I probably deserved it…"_

Michael chuckled again. Castiel licked his sulking brother's nose before mirroring the latter's previous gesture. As he put his head on the black alpha's front paws, a content sigh escaped him and eyes fluttered closed to rest.

* * *

Michael shot up from there he rested next to Castiel, body taut and a breath hitching in his throat, eyes wildly jotting around the tight space of the cave they found for the night.

"_All's good, Michael."_

Poised to attack on the moment's notice, the alpha's whirled around to face the speaker, hackles rising and lips pulling up to reveal the whites of his teeth. Light blue eyes met a pair of the same color.

Lucifer's ears flattened against his skull and his head dipped low in a rare display of submission. _"Night is peaceful, Brother,"_ he said, his voice soft like a soothing velvet. A tone that was usually reserved for the youngest wolf among them.

Michael dropped his aggressive behavior in an instant and shook his mane to get rid of the leftover primeval urge to defendprotectkill. _"My apologies,"_ he sighed, trotting over his twin to join him at the cave entrance where Lucifer was keeping night watch. He nuzzled into the other alpha's neck to assure him that he didn't mean it, receiving a brief nudge back as a sign of acceptance, and then sat down.

"_Nightmares again?" _

Michael hummed, short and unhelpful, a noncommittal sound that could be taken either way. His brother didn't push him to admit it though, and he appreciated it. Not like it was possible to hide reoccurring moments of his guilt bleeding terrifying silhouettes, screams, and promises of eternal damnation into his dreams now that they always slept huddled together. He was just being stupidly stubborn.

His brothers already knew that he wasn't as tough as he made himself to appear. Michael was truly grateful that they didn't outright call him out on his weaknesses.

Lucifer observed him, ears twitching restlessly. _"Hey, you never told us what kind of the Lead Alpha you would like to find,"_ he said in an attempt to lighten up the gloom. _"After Castiel bombarded us with his romantic fantasy."_

The oldest couldn't help a pang of anxiety that pierced his heart. His little omega brother had beautiful dreams and was bound to be hurt deeply once—_if_ his dream alpha never appeared to sweep him off his feet.

With the lingering terror at the back of his mind from the nightmares and fear for his remaining family rearing its ugly head, Michael felt like falling apart. He leaned into Lucifer and took a lungful of his scent. Not enough, not even close. So, he tucked his twin's head into his chest and rested his head over it. Michael had done it multiple times with Castiel, but it had been years since he showed deeper affection towards Lucifer.

The other alpha, for his part, didn't fight Michael's sudden need to cuddle him. No matter how much they bickered sometimes, he was here for his big brother. For as long as he needed to.

"_How about the Alpha who's not going to hurt my brothers just because one is an omega and another is a real pain in the ass?"_

Lucifer bristled at the teasing note layering Michael's voice. That might be true, but it was not okay to just slap his face with it. Despite his chagrin, he made no move to pull away. _"Oh, yeah? How about the Alpha who won't force you into breeding your own brother?"_

As soon as those words were out, Lucifer wanted to stuff them back. Violently. Michael's body went rigid and his tail brushed across the ground, and the alpha knew that if his twin stood at this exact second, it would be tucked between his legs. Not something he had ever wished to witness. _"I'm sorry,"_ he whispered as he pressed closer into the white-furred chest. _"I shouldn't have said it."_

"_No, it's okay,"_ Michael replied quietly as he started to lick and groom his brother's fur where he could reach—an alarming sign that he was definitely not okay and in desperate need of a good way to ground himself. A bitter laugh reached Lucifer's mind. _"Can't really argue with that."_

Two brothers fell silent, staring into the forest outside their cave.

Castiel curled more tightly into himself, stomping furiously on the basic instinct of omega to go and console his alphas in distress. They obviously didn't want him to see them in such a vulnerable state.

To find a decent pack with a good leader, was it really too much to ask?

* * *

Almost two weeks after their escape, the runaways finally laid their eyes on the Serpent River. The journey wouldn't have lasted this long if they had crossed straight through the Roman territory, the action deemed too dangerous due to the fact that Romans were close allies of Novaks.

Brothers were already risking by sneaking around their borders for a prolonged period of time, so everyone breathed easier once they heard the sound of water rushing and saw the blue sparkling through the trees.

Especially when Castiel came into heat a day prior. After all, there was a reason why Naomi pushed Michael so hard precisely at this point in time. Evidently, she didn't wish to miss any more chances of getting her sickening breeding program rolling.

The Serpent River had really lived up to its name. Not only it was shaped like a slithery snake, twisting and bending through the lands, but its waters also were turbulent and deadly. Fallen trees and protruding sharp rocks dotted its length with more hidden under the surface.

At least now brothers had a constant source of freshwater and a new thing to follow as their guide. Three more sunsets and three wolves took their first steps inside the Ancestral Forest—the cradle of their kin. This was where Amarok, Father Wolf, was born and where he raised his children.

It was different, majestic in a way that stole the air out of their lungs. Limbs of tightly-knit colossal trees, thick and old, seemingly grew all the way up to the sky, fanning out in a beautiful, if slightly haunting and rather intimidating display. Their roots crisscrossed, gnarled and uneven, sinking into the very depths of the earth.

Brothers felt small and insignificant among these venerable titans, each just one strand in a massive web of life.

Sky vanished almost completely, only a few fragments of blue remaining visible through the spreading canopy of green. The sunlight streaked through the boughs in brilliant beams, illuminating the wispy fog that draped itself over the forest floor and around the trees.

The forest was _alive_ in a sense that whispered to their most primal senses, to the most isolated corners of their beings. It was an ancient soul that stretched into everything that lived within and also reached for three newcomers, accepting and welcoming.

Suddenly, somehow, this felt like home.

No wonder all ferals eventually ended up here. Berserk wolves that lost all lucidity of their minds and succumbed to the savage beast, lurking in their blood, could only follow the most primitive, animalistic instincts.

And every animal knew the way home.

* * *

Castiel sat vigilant in front of the small indentation at the base of the giant tree's trunk, white and black wolves sleeping in it. The omega fought hard to be allowed to share night watch with his alpha brothers and he took pride in their acknowledgment.

The Ancestral Forest was dark and decidedly uninviting during the night, but there was peace in its solemn ambiance. The silvery moonlight trickling through the canopy, the soft susurration of the branches from high above, a symphony of crickets, distant hoots of owls.

Castiel inhaled the musty scent of leaves, the fresh soil, the scent of things in different stages of blooming and growth. The smell of life.

So much better than scenting the tangy odor of the special plant—Weeping Hair—he rubbed into his behind to cover, or at least try to, the sweet smell of his heat slick.

He saw it then, in a distance. An eerie light against an almost black backdrop. The omega squinted, puzzled, but couldn't quite understand what exactly it was.

The light gradually morphed into a bright silhouette—a grand white deer with a breathtaking crown of antlers adorning its head. Pristine snowy fur glowed in the darkness and a cloud of shimmering will-o'-the-wisp circled around its lithe body.

A spirit, Castiel recognized instinctively.

He shrunk back when the deer drew closer and he realized the sheer size of this creature. It was enormous, reaching just below the middle of the ancient trees while the tips of its crown almost touched the high canopy.

Dozens of tiny bells were attached to each branch of the spirit's antlers, but no sound came from them as the deer moved gracefully through the forest.

Castiel held his breath when the being was passing by, blabbering incoherent prayers inside his head.

The spirit stopped and looked down. Incredibly intelligent blue eyes fixed solely on the tiny white form. Will-o'-the-wisps seemed to be drawn towards the focal point of its gaze, gathering above the wolf to circle there lazily.

The omega plastered himself against the forest floor, eyes blown wide and the panic clawing its way up his throat. No one could fight something like this. He heard stories, of course, but never entertained the idea that spirits existed for real. Not to mention that he would meet such a scary one in the outskirts of the Ancestral Forest.

The spirit tipped his head forward and glided away, the floating balls of light hurriedly streaming after it.

Castiel dared not move. The forest gradually filled with its usual nocturnal noises. When nothing else happened, the omega cautiously released a breath he was still holding and stood up. Looked to his left. To his right. Behind. In front. Even above.

Nothing.

Kinda anticlimactic, he thought as he settled back for the night watch. After a minute, he turned to his quietly slumbering brothers and his eyebrow twitched.

Didn't even stir during this bizarre encounter. Bastards.

* * *

"_You saw a spirit?"_

Castiel pursed his lips, shooting a heated glower at the alpha. _"Yes, Lucifer,"_ he said, spelling each syllable slow and sharp on purpose. _"I saw a spirit."_

Brothers trotted along the Serpent River, making their way deeper into the Ancestral Forest. For now, they decided to slowly move forward, waiting out Castiel's heat. Once it was over, they would discuss what do next.

The black wolf narrowed his eyes into slits, suspicion written all over his face.

"_Shut up,"_ the omega bit out. He was upset, righteously so.

"_I said nothing,"_ Lucifer pointed out, but anyone could hear a smile in his voice.

A growl caused them both to quiet down, instantly alert and ready.

Michael glared into the forest, hackles up and teeth fully bared. _"We're surrounded,"_ he grunted out, gaze jumping from one side to another.

Lucifer's growl soon joined their older brother's as he picked up on the same danger.

Dark shapes started to slink out of shadows. Snarling and gnashing their teeth, hungry red eyes gleaming with an insatiable bloodlust and no mercy.

Feral wolves. Eight alphas, two betas.

They spread wide, circling the brothers from three sides. That left them with no other choice but retreat towards the only viable direction—the river. Soon they had nowhere to go and had to make a decision: either a raging river just a few feet away or try to break through the enemy line.

The biggest feral, the alpha with the most scars on his muzzle, suddenly paused to sniff the air before his tongue darted out to trace his lips in anticipation.

Castiel pressed his tail down harder and didn't object when his brothers pushed him behind their backs.

"_We'll have to fight our way out,"_ Lucifer sneered, snapping in warning at the wolf that came too close.

Michael gave no response. With a mighty roar, he lunged on the closest enemy alpha, catching him off guard and tackling him to the ground. His fangs successfully sank into the soft flesh of the throat and, as metallic taste filled his mouth, Michael gave a good shake, ripping it out.

Michael was a big wolf and an outstanding fighter. Few seconds in and he already had his first kill. Other wolves hesitated, but just for a short moment, before pouncing on him.

Lucifer plowed straight into a couple of them, sending them all rolling on the ground in a messy heap of blood, fur, and dust. Like his twin, the alpha was deadly in fights. Perhaps one of the reasons why Naomi tolerated his transgressions time and time again.

Two ferals made a move towards Castiel. The omega met them with a snarl pulling his lips away from his canines as his ears flattened.

He was not going down without a fight.

Castiel hunched on his hind legs and leaped on the alphas, clawing and biting furiously. With adrenaline singing in his veins and the blood on his tongue, sustained wounds and blossoming pain were ignored, pushed aside and forgotten until the end of their battle.

That was then Castiel's back leg slipped and the world suddenly tilted. Next thing he knew, water closed in around him, cold and murky, powerful current dragging him downstream. His limbs kicked out desperately as he tried to swim to the surface, the panic forcing his heart hammer against his ribs.

With great effort, Castiel broke the surface, gulping at the precious air and then he was under again. The river tossed him around like he was nothing but a leaf in a whirlpool. He hit the rocks several times and his entire body was throbbing, lungs felt as though they had been set on fire. Slowly, black began to seep in at the edge of his vision, thoughts growing groggy. His limbs slowed down…

And then the current slammed the omega into a hard object again. Before the river could pull him into its mouth again, in a momentary flash of clarity and guided by survival instinct, he clawed his way up what appeared to be a fallen tree, nails leaving long scratches over its bark.

Castiel collapsed on top, shivering and terrified, but he could breathe. He was hurting all over, his legs didn't move, but he could breathe. He didn't know how far the Serpent River brought him, but he could breathe at the moment and that was the most exhilarating feeling ever.

After resting enough to regain control over his battered body, the omega carefully crawled along the trunk back to the shore, curled under the gnarled root, and just let it go.

* * *

A guttural growl next to his ear was the only warning Castiel got before jerked back into reality by the sharp teeth seizing him by the scruff of his neck and dragging his still too exhausted form from under the root.

Blinking rapidly, he attempted to orient himself. Daylight burned into his retinas, but the omega couldn't tell if it was still the same day or the next. And there were wolves around. Dread crept over him like an icy chill when he looked at one of their eyes and saw bloody red irises staring back.

Ferals. Different ones, but equally malicious and crazy.

Jaws were still clamped hard on his neck, pressing the omega's front into the dirt. Castiel's heart skipped a beat when he felt strong legs wrapping around his torso. The alpha easily lifted his ass up, already thumping against it frantically. All the other wolves circled around, most likely waiting for their turn to mount the sweet-smelling omega.

Castiel gritted his teeth and snarled, to no avail. He bucked the moment the feral finally managed to find his hole. The cock slid out, but the alpha either didn't notice or didn't care. He picked up speed in his euphoric pounding and soon released the shot all over the omega's side.

A rumbling growl reached Castiel's ears. Lower, deeper, obviously coming from the larger creature. Before he could process what it meant for him, the weight of the alpha vanished and the omega's legs gave out when vertigo hit him from the unexpected change in balance. He swiftly twisted around to see what was going on.

Lungs freezing, body going taut—every cell in Castiel's body came to a grinding halt. The measly fighting spirit he still had in him died a quick, miserable death the instant he saw the terrifying beast that stood there.

The wolf was big, _huge_, almost double Castiel's size. A mountain of raw power with steely muscles rippling under the bright golden fur at his slightest movement.

The new wolf tossed aside the corpse of the alpha that mere seconds ago was on top of the omega, strong jaws closing in around the neck of another that was stupid enough to keep standing this close. All the while the third wolf struggled under his giant front paw, effortlessly pinned down to wait for his inevitable end.

This,

This,

_This_ was the savage monster his father talked about. An apex predator among carnivores. The member of species long extinct and known only from the myth books and fairytales.

A dire wolf.

An _alpha_ dire wolf.

An alpha dire wolf who just slaughtered three ferals with ease. In fact, he didn't move an inch from his current standing spot.

One of the remaining ferals cowered with his tail between his legs, another suddenly turned and fled into the bush.

The golden dire wolf made no move to follow, green eyes observing the situation with indifference.

Castiel soon realized why. His ear twitched when it caught a snarl from the direction where the runaway fled, a painful yelp, then nothing.

The lone feral alpha started to slowly back off…

…straight into another giant wolf. Even taller than the first one, but of the lighter physique, covered in honey brown fur with unique liver-colored nose and hazel eyes. He dropped the dead wolf that he carried here in favor of ripping apart the one still alive.

Soon, there were only three living souls left.

_Two_ alpha dire wolves.

And Castiel, one ripe omega in heat.

He was so, _so_ screwed.


	4. Chapter 4

I wonder if my bad grammar is the reason why this fic doesn't seem to attract much interest from the readers. Or is it no smut thing? Maybe good Michael and Lucifer? They sure are demonized beyond redemption in a/b/o side of this fandom.  
Oh, well.  
Those few who are reading—hope you won't be disappointed with this action-packed chapter :)

* * *

**The Old Ones**

**Chapter 4**

* * *

Castiel wasn't just scared—he was absolutely terrified.

Done with ferals, both dire wolves shifted their attention solely to him and now were staring. The intensity of their gazes petrified the omega. Hopeless, he laid there, like a butterfly entangled in a spider's web, able to only wait for his impending doom.

Castiel wondered if pleading for his life was worth anything. Maybe these monsters would leave him alone if he convinced them that he posed no threat.

He despaired as soon as that idea came.

Castiel spent who knows how long laying in his own slick, sweet alluring smell soaking his fur to its roots. Weeping Hair also got washed away by the river waters, leaving him without any cover. Any wolf with a working nose in the vicinity smelled just how ripe his hole was.

Castiel cowered when the golden alpha padded closer, unwillingly let out a muffled whimper when he leaned down to scent him.

The stranger ignored his distress. He sniffed and nosed all over the omega's abused body, lightly licked at some more visible scratches, and crinkled his nose in displeasure at the other alpha's seed matted into white fur.

Castiel expected to be taken here and now. He expected to be torn into shreds. He expected these representatives of the ancient species to feast on his flesh and drink his blood from his skull.

He didn't expect this kind of gentle probing.

In a momentary lapse of memory due to being too caught in pondering over the alpha's weird behavior, Castiel growled in warning when the said alpha nudged his tail away.

The omega's small act of defiance quickly withered when the stranger returned the gesture, pulling his lip up at the bare minimum to show his still bloody teeth. _"Down, omega,"_ he ordered, his voice gruff and low. Befitting for such an intimating creature.

Castiel squeezed his eyes shut and awaited the inevitable.

The alpha pushed his tail away again.

The omega waited.

And waited.

And wai—

"_Anything to worry about, Dean?"_

Castiel actually jumped the moment a new person spoke. Eyes wide, he whipped his head up to look at the second dire wolf, patiently waiting for his companion's response.

His companion—Dean—who was now just standing, watching from above, a strange expression on his canine features. _"No,"_ he replied after giving the omega another once-over. _"We were lucky to come on t—"_

In unison, both alphas whirled around so fast and so abruptly that it gave Castiel a whiplash. Ears pointed up, body weight rolled forward, muscles tense, the dire wolves stared into the forest unblinking.

Castiel also pricked his ears to listen. There was some sort of muted noise in the distance he didn't recognize. The noise that got louder with every second.

"_Sam,"_ the golden alpha spoke tightly, sniffing the air. _"Is that what I think it is?"_

The brown wolf visibly sucked in a breath. _"Seems like it,"_ he exhaled.

"_Shit…"_ Dean cursed._ "That's so not good."_

They sounded seriously troubled and that caused every single hair on Castiel's body to stand on its end. He flinched when the first faint trembles rippled across the earth under his paws.

The dire wolves took a glimpse at the omega over their shoulders, then back at each other. Dean nodded. Without a word, Sam darted past Castiel at full speed, heading to the opposite direction of the approaching noise.

"_Oh, sweetheart, I sure hope you have enough strength to stand and run for your life,"_ the remaining alpha said as he turned around and sized the white wolf up again. _"Because that's exactly what I'm gonna ask you to do right now."_

Castiel staggered to his feet. His legs threatened to buckle, but sheer willpower alone kept them firmly planted into the soil. Whatever made these brutes even mildly anxious was probably bad enough. What was 'not so good' for them could only mean an imminent cataclysm for others.

The flock of birds started from the trees and scattered around, filling the surroundings with frightened screeches and shrieking.

Something was coming. And it was coming fast. The menacing cloud of debris and dust rolled forward, swallowing everything in its wake. The ground was now shaking so hard that it kicked dry particles and old leaves up. And the ear-splitting noise—bellowing and roaring and whining—vibrated throughout the air, getting louder and louder.

"_It's already here!"_ Dean yelled. "_Go! Go! Go!" _

Giant jaws closed with a loud clap of teeth an inch from Castiel's butt and the omega's flight instinct went haywire. He bolted before his brain could even finish processing how to react.

The terrifying noise from behind seemed to press down on the panicked omega, punching at his ears and thundering over his skin. He felt hooves splitting the ground apart, heat radiating from numerous sweaty bodies, harsh breaths of bellows starting to stir up his fur.

The stampede of wild animals.

Castiel was definitely going to die if he couldn't outrun it. He pushed himself to his limits, forced his already numb limbs to move— His foot caught in one of the ancient roots and he went down hard. The omega rolled a couple of times until he stopped with his nose buried into the mossy dirt.

A beast ahead of the stampeding herd was upon him in a split second, foam dripping from its mouth, sharp hooves arching through the air to land right on top of the dazed wolf.

Castiel forgot how to breathe.

The golden blur slammed into the herbivore's side, sending it flying. Dean swiveled around as soon as his paws touched the ground. _"Come on, omega,"_ he growled as his snout slipped under Castiel's belly. _"To your feet!"_

The omega all but flew through the air when the alpha shoved his skinny form up. He stuck the landing, but failed on recovering his equilibrium. Castiel would have fallen again if not for the second dire wolf suddenly materializing at his side and helping him regain his balance with a light bump.

And then they were running once more.

"_Dean! The rock on your right!"_

The rock should mean safety. It meant turning right. Go right. Right… Which way was right?!

Unfortunately, Castiel's already muddled mind chose that instant to blank out completely.

Sam somehow ended on his other side, steering the fleeing omega in the correct direction. When the lone rock formation came into view, the dire wolf sped past. With one powerful leap, the alpha caught the top edge and effortlessly pulled himself on with a good heave.

Castiel's heart skipped a beat. There was no way that he could jump this high. The dire wolf left him for the mercy of the stampede to die a painful death.

He would never see his brothers again. Never fulfill his dreams.

Castiel jumped anyway, aiming at the slight slope on one side. He wildly clawed at the hard surface to try and escape the grim fate.

Sam's head popped in sight. He let his front legs carefully slide down and extended his neck with a clear attempt to help the struggling omega, but the latter was out of reach. Hazel eyes flicked somewhere behind the white wolf and he backed off in a hurry.

Castiel stomach sunk. Obviously, he wasn't worth the trouble. The alpha would never endanger his own life for the strange omega he had met mere minutes ago.

He felt so tired all of a sudden, it almost made him want to just let go.

The next thing Castiel knew, strong paws planted on either side and the giant looming frame blocked the light. A few sparks shot from under Dean's claws from the exerted power as they dug into the rock to keep his massive weight in place and not to squash the smaller wolf under him.

Strong jaws grabbed Castiel by the scruff of his neck and flung him up.

Castiel latched onto the edge, but he was already skidding down. Another set of teeth fastened around his neck and yanked him all the way on top. Such a rough manhandling added several new scrapes and bruises to his skin—a low price to pay for not being minced into fine pasta by these berserking herbivores.

Safe. He collapsed into a boneless heap. Finally out of danger. Just on time too, Castiel doubted he would have been able to fight for his life for much longer.

"_Dean!"_

The omega snapped straight out of his momentary peace as Sam's cry cut through the loud bellows of the stampeding animals.

The brown dire wolf paced back and forth along the fringe of the rock.

But the golden dire wolf was nowhere to be seen.

Horrified, Castiel watched the endless stream of chaos rushing past their safe haven, feeling the echoes of the earthquake rattling the rock. Heart hammering against his ribs, his gaze flickered to the spot where he thought he caught the sight of that sunny-colored fur between the dark brown, horned beasts.

Dire wolves were unbeatable monsters of old myths. Surely, one could survive a natural calamity like a wild animal stampede.

…Right?

So, where was he?

Seconds ticked by.

A full minute.

Two minutes.

Castiel and Sam turned sharply when they heard a thud followed by a grunt and the sound of claws grating across the stone behind their backs.

Dean attempted to pull up, but he failed to find a good foothold with his hind legs. He slid lower, desperately trying to hold onto something, anything, to avoid being thrown into the madness below.

Sam was there in a blur, teeth latching onto Dean's neck without hesitation. _"I've got you, Big Brother,"_ he murmured as he hauled him fully into safety with one impressive yank. _"You're safe, I've got you. I've got you."_

Castiel released a breath he didn't know he was holding and contemplated how Sam's continuous flow of soft words sounded more as intent to reassure himself rather than Dean. They seemed to care about each other deeply. Brothers, huh.

Castiel's heart squeezed painfully at the thought. He already missed his own brothers and could only hope that they managed to escape the ferals alive.

With a quiet rumble, _"I'm alright, Sammy. Just a few scratches,"_ Dean rubbed his head into his brother's chest. Here and there fresh blotches of red stained his golden fur. Then he stood and shook from the tip of his nose all the way to the end of his tail. _"That was too close,"_ he muttered finally.

"_Tell me about it,"_ Sam quipped back. His eyes followed Dean's line of sight and rested on the omega.

Castiel hunched into himself, not sure if he would be accused of endangering the alpha now.

Dean said nothing though. His gaze raked over the white wolf before he turned away and plopped down with a satisfied puff, lazily observing the last batch of the stampede barreling by. _"That's one big ass herd,"_ he observed after a few tired moments._ "Is it the breeding season already?"_

Sam joined his fellow dire wolf, leaning subtly into his side. An unconscious action, obviously arisen from his need for consolation that his brother was truly okay. _"It's been dry and unusually warm spring, I guess it started a bit early this year,"_ he replied. _"This was definitely a combination of at least five normal herds."_

"_So that's how these groms* spend their first date, eh? Lusty bastards."_

"_They were obviously spooked, Dean,"_ Sam retorted immediately and Castiel could hear an exasperated eye-roll in his voice.

"_You're no fun…" _the other alpha complained. They fell silent for a few moments. _"What are you thinking?"_

"_The tooth."_

"_The tooth?"_ Dean echoed, narrowing his eyes in incredulity. _"Does it have the smarts for that?"_

"_This one seems to be pretty smart, it's possible." _Sam's shoulder tipped in a shrug. _"Our kind poses the biggest threat to saber-toothed cats and we were treading on its heels for almost two days now."_

Castiel's eyes bugged out. Saber-toothed cats? They were real too?!

"_So, what? It sicced the breeding herd of groms on us?" _The golden alpha bared his teeth, a clear sign of his ruffled feathers._ "Urgh, I'm gonna rip it into pieces!"_

"_You'll have your chance, Dean."_

Castiel made an effort not to flinch when he suddenly became the focal point of two strangers' attention again. With bated breath, the omega waited for dire wolves to make a decision on what to do with him. They watched each other without actually saying anything for quite some time.

"_You know, I don't remember hearing a word from him."_

"_So?"_ Dean raised an eyebrow at his brother. _"He's scared."_

"_Perhaps,"_ Sam allowed. _"Or maybe he's a wildling."_

The other male considered his argument, squinting at the omega. _"Doesn't feel like one."_

"_A wildling by choice?"_

"_Wha—Really?!"_ Dean sounded scandalized. _"Are you, omega?"_

Castiel just gawked at them with a deer-in-a-light look, not knowing how to answer that.

What the heck was a wildling?

"_Are you serious, dude? One of those new age punks?" _Dean whined. _"Really?"_

Silence.

"_Oh, man, that sucks!"_

"_If he's a wildling, there's nothing else we can do for him,"_ the brown alpha pointed out as he stood up and readied to jump down. _"Let's head out."_

"_I swear,"_ the other wolf grumbled under his breath as he followed suit._ "We spend thousands of years crawling out of the woods and now youngsters are just throwing themselves back in there."_

Sam huffed out a chuckle. _"Yeah, alright, Grandpa."_

"_Hey!"_ Dean exclaimed, fixing his companion with a disgruntled glower. _"Watch how you talk with your elders, kiddo."_

That just spurred the second alpha into a fit of joyful laughter. He was still laughing when two brothers leaped from the rock together, landed gracefully on the ground and jogged away without as much as a glance back.

They were leaving. Dire wolf alphas were leaving.

Castiel sprung to his feet, suddenly anxious.

One part of his mind commanded to stay still, suggested being thankful that these monsters mistook him for a wildling, whatever it was, and left him alone without hurting him.

But they never attempted to mount the omega that was so obviously in heat in the first place. Now that he had time to ponder on it, Castiel suspected that a slight breach of privacy at the very beginning was the alpha's unorthodox way to check him for injuries down there.

But that was the thing, wasn't it, another part of his mind whispered. These so-called monsters not only didn't hurt him, but they also saved his life multiple times. Dean risked his own survival to save Castiel. They never asked for a reward, never demanded the omega to spread his legs and present as compensation for putting them in danger.

Excluding Michael and Lucifer, Castiel could hardly name any other alpha he knew who would do the same.

But now the dire wolves were leaving and the gravity of that fact stole the air out of his lungs. The memories of everything that happened came rushing back with all the subtlety of the tsunami. He felt his eyes and throat burn.

And then Castiel threw himself forward._ "W-Wait!"_ he called out, feeling hopeless, utterly defeated, in a desperate need for the smallest act of kindness. _"Please wait!"_ He intended to carefully slide down the side of the rock so that he could catch up, but it didn't go as planned.

The dire wolves winced in sympathy when the omega planted face-first into the forest floor.

Dean awkwardly shuffled his feet. _"We should have probably helped him down before leaving."_

Sam lowered his head in shame, agreeing in earnest.

"_Hey, omega, you alright there?"_ Dean asked as he and his brother trotted back.

The concern went right over Castiel's head, still consumed by blind panic at the prospect of surviving this dangerous forest all by himself. _"Please, alphas, let me travel with you,"_ he pleaded.

Maybe later he would come to regret this, but now he just wanted the world to give him a break. Castiel wanted to live, to see his brothers again. If it meant to grovel at the feet of these strangers, he would do it. Gladly.

"_I-I don't—d-don't have anything to offer…"_ Castiel trailed off, tucking his tail in between his legs stronger, praying that these brothers stayed as honorable as he thought them to be. _"I can—I—"_ he stammered, but his mind drew a blank. Apart from his hole, he really had nothing to offer.

So worthless.

Dean and Sam shared a look, wordless conversation passing between them.

Castiel gulped and finally whispered, _"I-I'll find a way to be useful to you, I promise."_

"_You don't have to beg," _Dean said, his tone surprisingly gentle now. He leaned closer to offer comfort for the distressed little omega, but aborted his gesture to avoid stressing him out unnecessarily. _"And we don't ask for that."_ He motioned to Castiel's rear. _"I give you my word."_

Castiel believed him and relief almost laid him flat on the ground.

"_You're not a wildling then, I take it?" _

Sam's seemingly innocent inquiry made him tense again. He still didn't know who or what was a wildling. To not aggravate these alphas, he responded instantly, _"I—no."_ His ears pressed harder against his skull, hesitant. _"…What is a wildling?"_

When the dire wolves shared another mute dialogue, he couldn't help a small whimper from slipping free.

"_You're not from the neighboring packs either."_ It wasn't a question, Dean just stated that as a known fact. _"Are there more of you?"_

Castiel was torn. Sure, Dean and Sam were docile right now, but what if they perceived Michael and Lucifer as threats and decided to kill them? Alphas could act awfully unreasonable at times. Especially then it was related to the presence of the same secondary gender and omega in heat on top.

He just needed to stay with these guys until his heat ended, a week at the longest. Then, he would find a way to escape and find his brothers.

Castiel shook his head no, distrusting his voice not to betray his insecurities.

The golden alpha stared at him long and hard as if trying to decide how much bullshit was dished his way and Castiel expected to be called out on his lie any moment now.

"_Dean, you're scaring him,"_ Sam piped in.

Dean visibly jolted by that comment. _"What? No, I'm not. Don't be ridiculous,"_ he scoffed. "_It's your freaky nose that's scaring him."_

Sam's liver-colored nose twitched. He was definitely not amused. And not afraid to show it.

"_Don't be a bitch, Sammy. I'm not scary,"_ the older dire wolf said with a smirk. "_I'm adorable."_

The brown alpha rolled his eyes. _"A jerk more likely."_

"_And still adorable,"_ Dean countered with a glee. _"Right, sweetheart?"_

Castiel made a mistake to glance directly into Dean's eyes and he froze, unable to look away. So bright, so alive. Like a split-off part of the ancient soul of the surrounding forest. Vast warmth shimmered inside those pools of green and filled every crevice and fold and space of the omega's being.

Something dormant stirred in the depths of his soul. Castiel felt it, for the briefest of moments, before that feeling slipped through his fingers and disappeared again, weaved into the fabric of his consciousness. Now that he realized about its existence, his whole heart yearned for it. Not even knowing exactly what 'it' was.

The intense staring got interrupted when Dean suddenly reeled back and quickly turned away from the omega.

But not fast enough for Castiel to miss a flicker of recognition flashing through his green irises.

"_I'll find a place to rest,"_ the alpha uttered stiffly, already in motion. _"Stay with him, Sam."_

The brown dire wolf sighed. _"That's my brother Dean and I'm Sam,"_ he officially introduced himself. _"What's your name?"_

"_Castiel."_

"_Nice to meet you, Castiel."_

The omega averted his gaze to the ground, tucked his ears, and bowed his head low. An unmistakable display of his unconditional submission to the superior gender as he had been taught all his life. _"Nice to meet you too, alpha."_ And the safest route he could take to ensure his survival while in presence of these unknown wolves.

When Castiel dared to take a peek at the alpha to gauge his reaction, Sam's sad expression left him truly confused.

* * *

**A/N**

* - groms are wild herbivore animals that I thought up to inhabit this weird world. Similar to bison in size though technically they are species of goats.


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you, everyone, for support and encouragement. I really appreciate it!

* * *

**The Old Ones**

**Chapter 5**

* * *

Lucifer bared his teeth when Michael glanced at him over his shoulder for the umpteenth time. His twin didn't have to be in his human form for him to know that Michael was currently scowling at his rebellious response. Sure, the growing pain in his left hip caused his limp to become gradually stronger too and perhaps he was an idiot for not taking a break, yet, "_We're not stopping._" He was a stubborn idiot.

"_Lucifer—_"

"_No,_" the black alpha cut him off. "_We have to find Castiel._"

Michael's hackles stood up, his patience finally running dry. While Lucifer only worried about their youngest brother, his concern was divided into two parts. No matter how hard it was to admit, but Castiel might already be—

The oldest alpha never finished that thought, choosing not to think about it. He swiveled around and snarled at his twin. The action so abrupt, that Lucifer flinched, then lowered his head and flattened his ears out of reflex.

"_What do you think Castiel would want us to do, Lucifer?_" Michael growled into his brother's shocked face. "_He'd want us to stay safe as we want him to be safe._" He paused, letting those words sink in, and declared with absolute finality, "_We're taking a break._"

Lucifer glared defiantly, but didn't protest anymore. Two brothers found a small recess in the trunk of the tree, surrounded by gnarled roots, and took shelter there.

Despite his previous stubbornness to keep traveling, Lucifer was out like a light the moment he lay on the ground. Michael snorted at that, preparing to keep watch and ignoring his own exhaustion gnawing at his whole body.

Maybe an hour later, Michael's ears perked up and his heartbeat increased as he listened to the surroundings. Maybe it was just his imagination. He hoped it was just his imagination.

A light breeze blew past, carrying distinct scents of several unfamiliar wolves.

The alpha was up in a flash. He nosed his brother in urgency. "_Lucifer, wake up._"

The other wolf stirred, blinking his sleepy eyes. "_Wha—_"

"_We have to go, brother._"

"_And where, pray tell, do you plan to go?_" a sleazy sounding unknown voice chimed in.

Michael froze for a brief moment, but shook his shock quickly and turned around to face an intruder—a shaggy, brown alpha wolf with piercing yellow eyes—with his teeth bared in a warning.

Lucifer also jumped to his feet, alert and ready to battle. He skillfully hid a wince when the pain shot through his injured leg after he accidentally stepped on it.

"_Whoa, easy, tigers,_" the stranger soothed. There was a distinct lilt of mockery in his tone and his full-on alpha posture contradicted his supposed good intentions. "_We're all friends here._"

Several other wolves joined the first one, mostly alphas and a couple of betas. All in their prime.

They were surrounded again. Michael's heart skipped a beat and he unconsciously made a move to shield his wounded brother.

The yellow-eyed wolf's lips twitched in a dark amusement as he observed two dirty, bloody young wolves.

"_Azazel!_"

The alpha looked at the approaching beta. "_What?_" he snapped, annoyed for an interruption. "_For your own sake,_ _I hope you're here to tell me news about the Winchesters._"

The other wolf froze before dropping into a submissive pose. "_They—They didn't die in the stampede._"

Azazel rolled his eyes. "_Of course, they didn't, you dimwit,_" he said. "_Do you think killing two dire wolves is this easy? Especially Dean." _His lips curled up in a sneer._ "That one is worse than a cockroach._"

Lucifer and Michel's eyes widened. Dire wolves?!

"_Are they at least injured?_"

The reporting wolf cowered even more and shook his head.

"_So much trouble for nothing!_" The yellow-eyed alpha's chest rumbled with a guttural growl. "_Do they suspect us in spooking the herd?_"

"_I don't think so. They seem preoccupied with some random stray omega in heat._"

Azazel tilted his head in confusion at that piece of information while Lucifer and Michael shared a brief, knowing glance. Winchesters. If they were lucky enough to survive this encounter, at least they knew where to start searching for their baby brother.

"_Let the big guys have their fun for now,_" Azazel brushed it off with an unconcerned shrug. His sharp gaze fell back on two stray alphas. "_Well, boys, it isn't safe around here with two dire wolves on the prowl. They eat little things like you for breakfast, so you better come with us."_

That was _not_ a friendly offer of help. Clearly a threat wrapped up in order and all of it bundled up in a harmless invitation.

No matter how unwilling, in their current state, there was no way they would be able to win or even escape a group of healthy, self-aware wolves. The twins had no choice but to obey.

* * *

Castiel sniffed his side and scrunched his nose, a low growl of disgust slipping free. It was faint, but he could still catch a whiff of the feral wolf's semen on his fur. He furiously rubbed that spot against the wet mossy stone again and then gave a good shake to get rid of water.

There. Finally gone.

He stank of algae now, but Castiel didn't care. He was just happy that Dean turned out to be considerate enough to find a resting place right next to a spring. Or maybe the dire wolf simply felt offended by other alpha's scent on the omega.

All kinds of doubts started sprouting inside Castiel's heart after that thought. Even if Dean said that they wouldn't be asking for it, perhaps that was the catch—they wouldn't be _asking. _They would simply take. He had heard that some packs followed the rule of winners take all, omegas included.

If these two brothers were supporters of such custom, the older alpha would already think of Castiel as his property. He won the fight after all. Technically, both dire wolves did, but no matter how intimate and carefree Sam's interactions with his brother were, Castiel noticed those subtle signs of him deferring to the latter. In the same way as Lucifer deferred to Michael. So, Dean's claim took priority over Sam's.

With his heart hammering in his chest, Castiel puttered around in the water, trying to stall for time. He didn't dare to take a single peek at the spot where he previously had seen two dire wolves discussing something, lest he drew their attention beforehand.

"_Bitch!_"

Castiel jumped into the air like a spooked cat. Eyes blown wide in panic, he whipped his head to look at the alphas. However, none of them were even sparing the omega a glance.

Sam threw a cheery, "_Jerk!_" over his shoulder as he trotted away from his obviously disgruntled brother. Dean stuck his tongue at him and the other wolf burst out laughing before disappearing into the foliage.

Castiel wanted to rub his eyes to make sure that he was seeing it right. What was that? Wasn't Dean a leading alpha of this unit? How could he act so… playful?

Dean huffed before turning around and leaping on the flat boulder, positioned right between the spring and some animal's abandoned nest in the hollow of the surrounding rocks. He stretched his front legs, fingers curling up, and yawned.

A chill ran down Castiel's back at the sight of that terrifying maw. No doubt, the dire wolf could crush his skull and grind his bones into dust without putting much effort. He had no wish to test that theory. Blue eyes hardened. Survival above everything, his pride did not matter here.

After stretching, Dean shook his fur vigorously and lay down with a satisfied sigh. He was about to lick the fresh wound on his front leg, but stopped when he noticed the omega's intense staring.

Castiel immediately dropped his gaze to his feet. His heart raced when the other wolf said nothing for quite some time.

"_Did you—"_

The omega was so tense that those softly spoken words actually made him flinch. Violently.

Dean paused, clearly catching on the white wolf's distress, but still pushed forward with his question, "_Did you enjoy your bath?_"

"_Y-Yes, alpha,_" Castiel answered and instantly cursed inwardly for that stutter, for showing the dire wolf such an obvious sign of his weakness.

The heavy silence that followed threatened to suffocate him. Any time now. He cleaned himself, so any time now the alpha would demand the reward for saving his life. Castiel instinctively pressed his tail down.

"_Sam's out to find food,_" the alpha informed, his tone fanning out into an inconspicuous irritation. He continued to grumble, "_I'm a great hunter,_ _I could have caught something for you to eat myself, but Sammy insisted that I'm injured… Injured my ass!_"

Castiel blinked and braved a glance at the dire wolf out of confusion. Dean wanted to hunt for him and was upset that he couldn't? What an absurd thought. Most likely, the alpha didn't want to stay here and babysit the helpless omega.

"_Anyway…"_ Dean turned to the side, suddenly looking a bit sheepish. When he spoke again, he sounded surprisingly gentle, "_We don't have time to let you fully recover, so you should rest while you can._"

Castiel trained his eyes dutifully on the ground and replied, "_I understand, alpha._" In order to reach the abandoned nest, he had to walk past the boulder and the mere idea of approaching the dire wolf incited his already bubbling panic further. He willed his legs to move, but they refused.

"—_ean._"

The omega's head shot up, a new wave of fear creeping over him. He just missed what the alpha had said! This was bad! Very, very bad! Last time he zoned out while an alpha wolf was talking with him, he got punished with kneeling outside for two days, exposed to the elements and not even allowed to stand up to relieve himself. And he was only eight years old pup back then.

Always admit to your mistakes, lest you want to receive a double amount of punishment; the rule that was seared into every Novak's skin from as long as they could remember. And so, Castiel blurted out, "_Forgive me, alpha, I wasn't paying attention,_" without much thinking.

The omega could feel a sharp gaze boring into him, but otherwise, the dire wolf stayed silent. Castiel's head dipped even lower, ears flat against his skull. In a span of a couple of seconds, his imagination conjured thousands of possibilities of what this monster of the myths would do to him as a punishment.

A few moments later a quiet, "_My name,_" reached the omega's mind. The alpha's tone was cautious, yet patient and without a hint of anger or contempt as would be expected. "_It's Dean._"

Castiel wondered if this was some sort of a test. He already knew the alpha's name and thought that his brother told him his. "_Nice to meet you, alpha._" Of course, he wasn't in a position to question their strange behavior. He just had to go with the flow and somehow survive. "_I'm Castiel._"

Dean shook his head slightly. "_Go rest, Castiel._"

The alpha sounded tired and… sad? Sam also had a similar reaction when he made his greeting, didn't he? What a weird pair of brothers. Maybe Castiel confused sadness with disappointment. Yeah. It was a more logical deduction for sure.

Castiel took a quick peek, but the other wolf had his attention diverted to the forest now. He forced himself to walk out of the spring and past the boulder where the dire wolf kept his vigilance. His pulse beat in his ears, almost blocking any other sounds except the ragged breaths he took. Dean spared him a glance, however, his interest in the omega was short-lived and soon his whole focus returned to the surroundings.

Castiel almost collapsed in relief when he reached the nest. He circled around, trying to find a more comfortable spot. When he finally lay down, he put his head on his front paws, sighed and the tension seemed to drain from him along with the gust of air from his lungs. From his position, the omega could clearly see the dire wolf and therefore keep an eye on him.

Dean was sunbathing now. Eyes closed, head tilted slightly up with an expression that radiated contentment. Bright and beautiful fur—from faintly yellow on the underbelly and throat gradually darkening to the rusty gold along the topline—glimmered in the sunlight like the softest silk. He seemed completely relaxed as if he didn't have a care in the world. An illusion, because the alpha obviously retained his alertness to possible dangers, indicated by his ears immediately flicking towards the direction of the slightest suspicious noise.

The dire wolves were majestic creatures, as awe-inspiring as they were terrifying. Even without doing anything, their dominating presence alone commanded respect and instilled fear into weaker hearts.

And Dean was a handsome alpha, Castiel could give him that. Suddenly, he grew really curious of how the dire wolf looked like in his human form. Was he so much bigger compared to normal wolves as he was in his beast form? What color was his hair? Did he keep his dusting of freckles across his nose? Or his well-defined, muscled physique—

Castiel shut that line of thought off. A moment too late though as, following his traitorous mind, his body had already betrayed him.

A scent of fresh slick permeated the air.

Damn his biology! Damn his heat! Damn all the hormones racing rampant in his veins!

Castiel could practically see the moment that scent hit Dean's nose. The alpha's nostrils flared and, in a flash, green eyes were focused solely on the omega. His pupils dilated and tongue darted out to lick at his lips hungrily.

Castiel's eyes widened and he hunched into himself, trying to make himself as small and invisible as possible. He had done it now for sure. There was no way that an alpha who was obviously aroused by his enticing smell would stay rooted in his place and wouldn't succumb to his urges!

But Dean _did_ stay rooted in his place. He swiped at his face with a paw couple of times and rubbed his nose into his leg. "_Sorry…_" he uttered, visibly ashamed, before arranging himself until his back was fully turned to the omega.

…What?

Castiel let out a breath he didn't notice holding in. He felt rightfully bewildered though. Backing off at such a moment and taking the reins of his primal instincts spoke volumes of Dean's self-restraint. He even apologized. Honored his promise too.

Castiel shelved a tiny flicker of hope in his chest. Maybe, just maybe, he lucked out and met a genuinely decent alpha. What were the chances of that being true?

* * *

"Kneel and repent."

Castiel's knees hit the hard ground before that sentence was even finished. The cold rain continued to beat his bare head and thin clothing he was wearing provided no protection from the elements. Shivers already racked his small frame and his teeth were just mere minutes away from chattering.

Even in these conditions, he didn't dare to protest or plead for forgiveness. He dared not to look up at his alpha parent—no, his Lead Alpha—and kept his eyes glued to the ground. Even the youngest pups in the Novak pack knew the importance to own up to their mistakes because failing to do so would lead to harsher punishment.

The Lead Alpha left without wasting another word. She didn't give permission to stand, so Castiel stayed down, stiffly rubbing his arms in a vain attempt to warm up.

He wasn't sure for how long he was kneeling, then the rain suddenly stopped and he heard soft footsteps approaching. He looked up, his mind too foggy from cold to realize that simple action could cost him greatly. The moment he saw two people standing in front of him, his expression lit up. "Lucifer! Mich—!"

Castiel's voice died at the back of his throat as he noticed blood slowly trickling from both of their noses, ears, mouths, and even eyes. "You're hurt!" he exclaimed. He wanted to jump up to help his beloved older brothers, the Lead Alpha's orders be damned—

He couldn't. Suddenly, there were chains around his wrists and ankles that immobilized him, a heavy iron collar pulled him down. All Castiel could do was watch in horror as more and more blood flowed down the faces of his brothers, dripping from their chins to the rain puddle at their feet with a rhythmic plop-plop-plop.

"Of course, we're hurt," Lucifer said, his voice as soft and gentle as ever. "You left us behind to fight a pack of ferals, what do you expect, Castiel?"

The omega's lips parted, but no sound left them. He tried to reach for his brothers again, but ended up only weakly yanking on the chains. "I—I didn't…" It was all Castiel managed to squeeze out, but he was speaking. He was speaking instead of struggling to breathe. "'m s-sorry…"

Michael tilted his head in question. "Are you sure that you're truly sorry?"

Two pairs of familiar icy blue eyes were robbed of their usual warmth, bottomless oceans of accusation and betrayal. Castiel felt cold as never before. It seeped through his flesh and into his bones and yet deeper and deeper until his very soul felt like freezing.

"We will be the ones leaving you behind now," Lucifer stated, already in motion to turn away, his twin only half a step behind.

"Goodbye, Castiel."

"N-No… Wait!" Castiel threw himself forward, but the chains held him firmly in place. The collar got heavier with each passing second and soon the omega could barely keep his head up. "Lucifer! Michael!" he screamed at the receding backs of his brothers.

They never looked back.

Tears gathered in his eyes. "Don't leave me!"

Nothing.

"Please, Lucifer! Michael! Come back!"

His desperate plea echoed into the distance, reaching no one. The rain started again, a constant hiss enveloping his shivering form like white noise within this grey and broken world. And so, so cold.

"P-please…" Castiel choked out. The last drop of energy drained out of him and he crumpled down like a puppet with its strings cut off. "Don't leave me…"

A pair of feet stopped right in front of him and the omega's head shot up, endless hope swelling inside his chest. Instead of salvation, he was met with an emotionless visage of his Lead Alpha.

"You're mine, Castiel, and you can never run away from me," she said, prideful and condescending, features arranged into a look of haughty disdain. "Just look at what happened. Your brothers wouldn't have gotten hurt if they hadn't decided to run away from their home because of you."

"That's not-That's not true!"

"Is it?" Naomi questioned. "Nobody put those chains on you. You did it yourself."

Castiel closed his eyes, wanting nothing more but block those vicious remarks. He couldn't even lift his hands anymore, iron shackles weighed them down.

"Kneel and repent."

The Lead Alpha's voice struck him like a whip. "No," a word of defiance tumbled out before the omega could talk himself out of it. His brothers risked their lives to escape this cruel alpha, no way he was going back to obey her.

"Kneel and repent!"

"No!" Castiel shouted as he thrashed against his bindings. Helpless. Desperate. "No! We had no choice! I did nothing wrong!"

A sharp pain suddenly shot through one of his ears.

"_Hey!_"

Castiel's eyes flew open, a whine stuck halfway through his sore throat. The first thing he saw was green.

Eyes of the color of the forest. Hard and fierce and strong—protective. Worried. A voice followed, low and gruff, but seemingly bursting with concern, "_You with me?_" Then, a golden-furred shape slowly swam into view. Fluffy and bright. Like the sun.

Dean.

Castiel stared at the alpha hovering above him, trying to focus on regulating his breathing and make sense of all of the thoughts running rampant in his head.

Dean observed him silently for a bit, then shuffled around and eased his massive body right next to omega. The latter stiffened, muscles tensed, on the brink of bolting. The alpha put his head around the smaller wolf and nudged him closer, maneuvering him in a way that the omega's cheek ended up pressed into his broad chest. "_I won't hurt you, sweet omega,_" he said quietly. "_I would never hurt you._"

The cold from his nightmare still lingered at the back of Castiel's mind and on his skin. Even his bone marrows seemingly frosted over. But Dean was warm and smelled like a sun-soaked forest. The omega could even hear the alpha's heart beating inside his chest, calm and soothing.

"_Sorry I bit you,_" the dire wolf spoke again as he traced his warm tongue over the omega's still slightly stinging ear. "_Had to wake you up._"

Unconsciously, Castiel snuggled closer. The alpha might drop all pretenses at kindness in the future, but until it happened, he would thirstily drink all of this encompassing warmth and an accompanying sense of safety.

It was somehow nostalgic, all of it. The smell, the heartbeat, the immense presence brimming with a protective ferocity. As if he had already experienced it.

But his eyelids were so impossibly heavy, his body and mind so exhausted, that before Castiel could ponder more over the strange feeling, he drifted off into a blissful, dream-free sleep, the gentle tongue grooming his fur lulling him further.


End file.
